It’s not just management on the run, it’s really poor PR management (if not plain old pig-headed ignorance ) to let the issue play out the way it has , after the fiasco CPA has already had along similar lines with Tyrone “8 days a week” Carlin. They should have been on the front foot on the issue of Caroline’s pay and duties, but instead they have either bumbled through the issue , or simply don’t care how bad it looks that this topic is in the public domain yet again, diminishing the CPA brand again. And I said as much to the Board when it surfaced...not that I think they care to take notice. We can just put this one behind us and “move on”, shall we?

CPA Australia have responded to issues with regards to Ric De Santi and Caroline Spencer almost 6 months after they were raised. Why????

CPA Australia have backed tracked with regards to previous statements, that they have issued to the public, the Australian Financial Review and the members of CPA Australia at the AGM.

What does this say about the board of CPA Australia and the leadership of President Wilson? Should he now resign?

President Peter Wilson advised the members of CPA, as highlighted by previous members of this site.

This was copied from my email from CPA board in relation to Caroline Spencer

Dear member,

Today an article was published in the Australian Financial Review that contains inaccuracies and we wish to provide you with more detail.

Appointment of Caroline Spencer to WA Auditor General position

Caroline Spencer was appointed to CPA Australia’s Board on 1 October 2017 for a two-year term.

On 14 March 2018, it was announced that Ms Spencer had been appointed as Auditor General for Western Australia.

As part of the appointment process, Ms Spencer wrote to the WA Treasurer on 7 March 2018.

Ms Spencer’s letter to the WA Treasurer can be viewed here.

Ms Spencer sets out the steps she would take if appointed to ensure no conflicts of interest during her term serving in the role, and to ensure she would not be in paid employment from any other source, as required by Schedule 1 clause 3 of the Auditor General Act 2006.

Ms Spencer advises she would not receive Director fees from CPA Australia if appointed but rather Director fees would be paid to the Western Australian Office of the Auditor General.

She takes up the role on 28 May 2018.

Appointment of Directors to CPA Australia’s Board

CPA Australia’s new Board was appointed solely by Divisional Councillors directly elected by members.

This followed an open Expression of Interest process advertised to all CPA Australia members and more broadly last year.

Since our appointment your new Board has engaged with thousands of members in hundreds of formal and informal meetings and at CPA Australia events.

We are listening to members and we are delivering positive change in the interests of all members.

Being open and transparent with members remains a core commitment for your new Board. We are working closely with Divisional and Branch Councils and members more broadly to restore the reputation of CPA Australia.

At and before the CPA Australia AGM in May 2018, CPA Australia members, the Australian Financial Review highlighted very serious concerns and possible breaches of state laws by Caroline Spencer. CPA Australia issued statements at the time with regards to Caroline Spencer, in which they believed that she was not in breach of the relevant WA laws with regards to her appointment as Director of CPA Australia. Caroline Spencer issued statements to the WA Treasurer indicating her intention to continue with the appointment as Director of CPA Australia, even though it was highlighted the likelihood that she would be in breach of the relevant laws, as raised by the Australian Financial Review. Not until these issue were raised, did Caroline Spencer then agree to cease receiving a directors fee from CPA Australia.

Are the so called directors fees now being paid to the WA Auditor Generals office, as advised by President Peter Wilson in his previous statements?

Is Caroline Spencer a fit and proper person for the role of Auditor General of Western Australia?

Have her actions and the statements issued to not only to the WA Treasurer but to members of CPA Australia via President Peter Wilson, raised very serious concerns with regards to her intentions and appropriateness for the role of Auditor General of Western Australia?

Why did it take so long for a statement from CPA Australia, with regards to both Ric De Santi and Caroline Spencer, stating the obvious, which other saw at the time at a problem or possible breach of laws?

The Australian Financial Review raised concerns 6 months ago and President Wilson advised the members at the AGM that they were looking into the matter.

How much did the legal advise cost CPA Australia with regards to this issue? Should the legal advise be reimbursed by Caroline Spencer, given that it should have been her responsibility to seek the appropriate advise at the time that she gained the appointment of WA Auditor General and was a director of CPA Austraila?

Should Caroline Spencer now resign from her position as Auditor General of Western Australia???

Maybe Caroline Spencer should now resign from her position as Director of CPA Australia in order to avoid any further possible breaches of the Western Australian Auditor General Act?